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ELEGTRIG SWITCH.

' No. 536,266. Patented Mar. 26, 1895.

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WITNESSES:

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0. G. GHESNEY. ELECTRIC SWITCH.

NO. 536,266. Patented Mar. 26, 1895.

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me Mann 9 TERS co vuoY umo A mac? n c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CUMMINGS C. CHESNEY, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE STANLEY LABORATORY COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC SWITCH 5'PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 536,266, dated March 26, 1 895.

Application filed January 17, 1895. Serial No. 535,194- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CUMMINGS O. CHESNEY, of Pittsfield, in the county of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Switches to be Used in Electric Circuits, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to switches to be used in circuits carrying high tension currents and has forits object to provide a switch by which dangerous sparking may be prevented.

The following is a description of a switch embodying my invention, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the switch. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the part G with the cover removed. Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are views of the part G and its contents, partly in section showing the positions of the various elements at different times.

In the drawings A, A, B, B represent the blades attached to hinged bars C C which are connected by cross-bars of insulating material R R. The blades are adapted to enter thejaws D D E E of the switch to which the terminals of the conductors of the circuit are to be connected, all of which parts are mounted in the insulating base F and operate in the usual manner. The jaws E E are covered by a casing of insulating material C, preferably having a cover I attached thereto. The cover I has two holes H, H immediately over the jaws E, E. Beneath the cover I are two slides K K of insulating material having holes L L. These slides are normally held by springs M M, so that their inner edges rest against stops N N in which position the holes L L do not register with the holes H H and are not over thejaws E, E. Attached to the handle 0 is a wedge P which when the handle is brought down engages with the inclined surfaces 19,1) of the slides K, K and forces them apart to such an extent that the holes L, L do register with the holes H, H and are above the jaws E, E. Upon a further movement of the handle, the blades A, A pass through the holes H, H and L, L and into the jaws E, E. Upon lifting the handle the slides are forced back immediately after the blades leave the jaws so that the holes in the cover and the holes in the slides do not register, and the holes in the slides are not over the jaws. By this means the blades and the jaws are separated by the insulating casing and slides immediately upon breaking the contact and dangerous sparking is prevented.

The slides run in a recess immediately below the cover, if a cover is used, and are as close to it as they can be and not bind against it. p The springs M, M are shown as bearing against the edges of the holes in the slides.

My invention can be applied to any lever switch in which the blade and jaw or equivalent contact is used.

IVhat I claim is 1. In a switch the combination of a jaw and a lever bar bearing a contact blade both mounted upon an insulating base, with a casing inclosing said jaw and having a slide normally covering said jaw, said lever bar having a projection controlling the position of the slide when the bar is depressed, substantially as described.

2. In a switch having a contact jaw and a pivoted lever bar bearing a contact blade, both mounted on an insulating base, the com bination of an insulating casing covering said jaw and having a spring actuated slide, said slide and the cover of said casing having holes which normally do not register, and a wedge carried by said lever bar which when depressed moves the slide until said holes do register and are immediately over the contact jaw, substantially as described.

3. In a switch having a lever bar C, and contacts A, E, an insulating casing G, havinga spring actuated slide, K, covering said contact E, said slide and the cover of said casing having holes L, H, and a wedge P, mounted on said lever bar, all in combination, substantially as described.

4:. In a switch having the lever bars C, C, bearing contacts A, A, and having contacts E, E, mounted on a base F, the combination of the casing G, covering the contacts E, E, and having slides K, K, said slides and the cover of said casing having holes L, L, and H, H and a wedge P, carried by the lever bars C, C, substantially as described.

CUMMINGS C. CHESNEY.

Witnesses:

JOHN F. KELLY, A. O. CLARK. 

